The Big Ten’s newest entrant picked up their first conference win and let defense take the wheel, marking the Bruins’ fifth shutout through six games.

UCLA men’s soccer (3-1-2) buried an early goal to beat No. 14 Northwestern (5-2) 1-0 in its inaugural Big Ten game in Evanston, Illinois on Friday. Redshirt senior forward Jose Contell drew and converted a penalty for the Bruins, while junior goalkeeper Sam Joseph recorded his fourth clean sheet of the year.

“I was really proud of the guys. We put in a really good amount of work,” said coach Ryan Jorden. “Really pleased to have been able to get a shutout. Again. This was our fifth shutout in six games, and so I think that’s saying something about our group.”

Running onto a long ball in the seventh minute, graduate student midfielder/forward Sveinn Hauksson tapped a cross over to Contell, whose low shot was saved by the goalkeeper in a one-on-one.

Two minutes later, Contell drove the ball into the six-yard box and drew a handball penalty off defender Fritz Volmar. Contell sent his penalty shot into the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season, celebrating with a backflip.

“During the week, we were talking that we were missing some backflips from the celly. So it was some of that time we got the backflip celebration back,” Contell said. “Really happy to help the team with my first goal and again, getting three points is the most important thing for us, and getting the goal is just one more gift.”

Contell added that he feels there’s more to come now that he has broken through with his first score of the year.

With a one goal advantage, the Bruins settled into the game and held on to their lead through their first conference match, despite falling behind the Wildcats’ 15 shots with just five of their own.

Joseph’s start broke Jorden’s pattern of alternating between Joseph and sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson – who allowed three goals against Cal State Fullerton in his last appearance in early September.

Joseph made a season-high five saves on the night, including a point-blank, two-handed push over the bar off a header in the 64th minute.

“I was having a conversation with him this morning and he was already telling me he knew he was going to get a clean sheet today,” Contell said. “The work he’s been putting in during the whole season, it’s unreal, and then we can see this work projected on the games.”

Jorden said the goalkeeper managed the game well with solid saves in key moments.

Beyond Joseph’s fourth shutout, the Bruin’s defense recorded their fifth clean sheet on the season, as freshman defender Allan Legaspi earned the second start of his collegiate career.

“It all starts at training. It’s how we train in the environment, and the intensity we train at just reflects on the field, and it just shows,” Legaspi said. “We have five clean sheets, and we’re going to get many more, and you’ll see in the future.”

Jorden added that Legaspi has shielded the team from trouble across his minutes so far this season.

The Bruins will continue their Midwest swing further North against the Wisconsin Badgers on Monday after handing the Wildcats their first home loss of the year.